“Haaah!”
Meterrar let out a battle cry and charged toward Mel.
A black haze rose around Mel.
Thud—!
The haze wrapped around Meterrar’s body like threads.
Rumble—!
At that moment, Meterrar’s feet dug into the ground.
Meterrar’s eyes twitched.
“Gravity magic, is it?”
His gaze shifted to Mel.
“You intend to buy time.”
As a seasoned knight, Meterrar easily grasped Mel’s intention.
This was Lumene.
And as a former principal, he knew Lumene’s combat power well.
Among the students, there were already those with power comparable to heroes.
And that wasn’t all.
The professors who taught those students.
They were either listed in the Hero Record or possessed power equal to a hero even if they weren’t listed.
The Hero Military Academies did not serve as major powers suppressing Tartarus for nothing.
“How shallow.”
The corners of Meterrar’s mouth curled up.
“You should know better than anyone that we aren’t ordinary heroes, shouldn’t you?”
Whooooom—!
A dark blue aura erupted from his body.
The aura soon became sharp sword energy and scattered in all directions.
Just as Meterrar, having forcibly dispelled the magic, was about to charge at Mel—
Creeaaaak—!
With an ominous sound, the ground began to freeze.
Meterrar’s eyes twitched, and he leaped high.
Tap—!
Shiaaaa—!
The ground froze over, and a powerful chill wafted through the air.
Meterrar looked to the side.
“Ho, a second-year using such powerful magic.”
Clink—!
Chloe lifted the staff she had struck against the ground.
Thin shards of ice fell from her body.
Fimbulvetr.
Her Original Magic had threatened a hero who had made a name for himself in a previous generation.
‘A pure mage. It’s rare to find a mage who uses ice magic of this level, let alone at this age.’
The power of magic was not the same as combat ability.
No matter how powerful the magic one used, they were helpless if they allowed the enemy to close the distance.
Even so, the magic being used at her age was extraordinary.
‘A second-year using fifth-year level magic.’
“The Knight Department needs to step it up.”
The moment Meterrar muttered that and swung his sword at Chloe—
Clang—! Zap!
A golden aura blocked Meterrar’s sword.
Meterrar’s eyes twitched as he looked at the young knight standing in his way.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Duran’s golden eyes flashed.
“An undead has no business worrying about the Knight Department.”
‘This one is also a second-year?’
Though it was but a single strike, Meterrar narrowed his eyes as he saw Duran block his sword.
A second-year had blocked his sword, the sword of someone who had been exceptional even among heroes.
“I’ll praise you. For blocking my sword, even if only for a moment.”
Meterrar tightened his grip.
“But it’s reckless. Blame your own foolishness and die.”
The moment his sword was about to shift, a small shadow lunged into his personal space.
Boom—!
With a thunderous sound, Meterrar’s body was sent flying into the air.
Thump!
Meterrar, who had been thrown back, landed on the ground and looked at the girl who had sent him flying.
Chen Xia, using her water aura, merged her aura with Duran’s with an expressionless face and immediately attacked Meterrar.
“Another second-year?”
Just as Meterrar’s face contorted and he tried to suppress Chen Xia and Duran—
Rumble! Roar!
A massive pillar of flame poured down from the sky.
Celia, having boosted the flame’s power to its maximum with Abad’s magic, delivered a strike.
Meterrar’s face gradually hardened.
‘Another second-year?’
Students with power far exceeding that of a second-year were appearing one after another.
‘Even so, there are only two on the front lines. I can easily suppress them...’
The two people holding him back.
Just as he thought he could easily neutralize them by suppressing Duran and Chen Xia—
A massive boulder flew at an incredible speed and slammed into Meterrar.
Boom—!
Dazed by the staggering power, Meterrar’s face twisted as he looked at the large boy who had attacked him.
Walden.
‘Another second-year!’
The moment he tried to counterattack—
A small mage girl and an Elf Magic Swordsman girl lunged between Walden and Meterrar to hinder him.
“Walden, that was amazing!”
“Brutish.”
Eiran shouted in admiration, while Chelsea stuck out her tongue as if she were fed up.
Chelsea used wind magic to support Walden and Eiran’s movements.
It was then.
‘Their movements are systematic. Who is commanding them? Is it the Dragon Lord?’
Setting aside their skill, he was being repeatedly caught off guard by the formation designed to keep him in check.
There was definitely someone watching his movements and predicting the next attack.
(T/N: Carr?)
‘On top of that, these brats’ movements are precise. I can only think this is the Dragon Lord’s command...’
“Aaaaah! Why are you flying so weirdly all of a sudden?!”
“Shut up! Who said you could touch me in a weird place?! I’ll kill you later... No, I’ll kill you right now! Carr Thomas!”
“It’s because you’re flying so violently! This is an unavoidable accident!”
Carr’s pained scream and Eliza’s vicious voice echoed through the sky.
(T/N: Carr the original MC is here! Dang, he really is a commander.)
“Splendid, everyone.”
Mel smiled brightly as she looked at the second-years.
“What are these things?”
Meterrar asked Mel.
At that question, Mel shrugged her shoulders.
“The future.”
“The future?”
“Yes. The future that will shoulder this world from now on.”
At those words, Meterrar let out a scoff.
“Did you deceive these children with sweet words as well? What lies did you use? Did you trick them into thinking they could save the world? Huhuhu. Like you did to us? Hahaha!”
Meterrar burst into laughter and pointed a finger at Mel.
“Foolish students of Lumene. I shall teach you the truth. I don’t know what you’ve heard from this Dragon Lord, but you can never save the world. No, rather, you will be abandoned by this dragon!”
His eyes gleamed with hostility.
“You will never be given the chance to challenge the World of Genesis!”
Hearing that, Celia narrowed her brows.
“The World of Genesis? What is that anyway?”
“Isn’t it related to the Genesis Heroes?”
At Chen Xia’s answer, Chelsea put her hands on her hips.
“No, first of all, talking about being abandoned and whatnot. Doesn’t the former traitor principal have a massive persecution complex?”
“Today was the first time I learned that Professor Mel is the Dragon Lord.”
Chloe wore a bewildered expression.
“What?”
Meterrar looked perplexed at the second-years’ confused reaction.
“There’s no need to listen to the words of a turncoat who sold his soul to Tartarus.”
Abad said with a smile.
“Enough talk. We just need to take him down.”
Walden clenched his fist, radiating fighting spirit.
Rumble—!
The axis of the earth shook due to the Great Earth Spirit he had contracted with.
“You are all so reliable.”
Mel smiled gently at the second-years and then stood before Meterrar.
“I have never once abandoned you all. It was simply that you went astray.”
Mel’s expression turned cold.
“Even I don’t know what will become of these children. But one thing is for certain: thinking these children won’t succeed just because you failed is pure arrogance. And most importantly...”
Mel paused and looked back at the second-years before continuing.
“I wasn’t the one who chose these children as the future of the world.”
“What?”
“It was a great being far above me.”
Mel smiled as she pointed a finger toward the sky.
“Are you saying it was a god?”
“Hmm... in a sense, they might be similar. Since they are the one who gifted us the current world.”
“Nonsense.”
Meterrar’s face contorted.
Ignoring him, Mel said,
“By the way, it’s quite tragic.”
Mel, letting out a small sigh, raised her hand.
“To think that the hero I chose in the past not only fell and sold his soul to Death King Hell Kaiser... but is also nothing more than a disposable pawn used to buy time.”
“What did you say?”
“Death King Hell Kaiser won’t be attacking Lumene.”
Mel narrowed her eyes.
Undead who were once heroes and countless Demons were invading Lumene.
It was clearly Death King Hell Kaiser’s legion.
‘But it’s only a fraction.’
Mel had earned the title of Silent Dragon by remaining silent for a long time, but she had certainly not been simply ignoring the world.
In that silence, she had played the role of a massive deterrent against Tartarus.
Mel, who had fought Death King Hell Kaiser endlessly from the shadows, recognized it at a glance.
‘This is nothing more than a stalling tactic to keep me and Lumene’s forces tied down. The real target... must be Leo-nim in Lumeria City.’
In that case, Leo might be in danger.
Death King Hell Kaiser was not one to carry out such a plan unless victory was certain.
‘...It’s not just his Divine Authority that was strengthened by the Fragment of Erebos. His power has grown as well.’
Even though Death King Hell Kaiser’s true body was not here, breaking the Curse of Isolation he had cast was not easy.
Mel clenched her fist.
‘But right now, we have a variable that even Death King Hell Kaiser didn’t consider.’
Mel tightened her grip.
‘Luna-nim.’
===
Crrrk—!
Death King Hell Kaiser narrowed his eyes as he saw cracks appearing in the air, as if a mirror were cracking.
“As expected, Mirror Queen Kinesi’s abilities don’t work on the current Surviving Hero.”
No matter how much his Divine Authority was strengthened by the power of the Fragment of Erebos, he couldn’t resurrect the old Legion Commanders indefinitely.
He could only resurrect a single Legion Commander.
‘And all Legion Commanders would fall outside of my control.’
The grudges of the dead Legion Commanders ran deep.
As such, it was certain that the moment they were resurrected, they would lose their reason, go on a rampage, and attack the world.
For Death King Hell Kaiser, this was not ideal.
No matter how overwhelmingly powerful he was, attacking outside the territory of Tartarus in this era, where many heroes existed, was a suicidal act.
‘The other side would suffer significant damage... but the damage on this side would be substantial as well.’
It was because of this situation that he had resurrected Mirror Queen Kinesi, whose reason could be controlled and who had inflicted massive damage on the Great Heroes of the past.
Of course, Death King Hell Kaiser also knew that Mirror Queen Kinesi’s ability wouldn’t work on the current Leo.
In the past, Mirror Queen Kinesi had been helplessly defeated by Luna.
‘And the Surviving Hero has overcome countless trials. It would be strange if Mirror Queen Kinesi’s ability could inflict significant damage on someone who even took down a god.’
Creeaaaak—!
The cracks in the air grew larger.
‘But even so, he will surely suffer mental damage.’
Mirror Queen Kinesi’s illusions were persistent.
Once one illusion was overcome, another would appear.
Even if his mind couldn’t be broken, a powerful blow could still be dealt.
‘In a weakened state, will you still be able to stop me? Surviving Hero?’
It didn’t matter even if he couldn’t be defeated.
‘I’ve thought about it for a long time. How the Surviving Hero was able to defeat Erebos-nim.’
In a desperate situation, the Surviving Hero had defeated a god alone.
It wasn’t simply because he had inherited all the power of the other Great Heroes.
Nor was it because his other companions had dealt damage to Erebos.
‘After much thought, I realized that his mental strength surpassed the will of a god.’
In that case, it was necessary to create a crack in that mental strength.
Death King Hell Kaiser’s goal was, to the very end, to wear down Leo’s mental strength.
‘I pray that you suffer, Surviving Hero.’
The corners of Death King Hell Kaiser’s mouth curled up.
Then, he looked toward the people of Lumeria City who were evacuating.
“There are some things that simply cannot be protected.”
Vroooom—!
Summoning circles opened in the air, and an undead legion began to pour out.
“I wonder how many people will die by the time you suppress Mirror Queen Kinesi and emerge.”
***
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